Wednesday, March 23, 2016

abandoned opulence

While most of Shekhawati’s havelis have crumbled and remain abandoned, a
small window into the world of these painted mansions is being
preserved.

Wherever there is great wealth, somewhere else there is great poverty. Is it any wonder that communism, before it got into the nitty-gritty business of gulags and the like, should hold out an allure? Sort of like Christianity.

1 comment:

The earliest humans were socialists just because the tribe would fail if everyone wasn't equally cared for. In primitive tribes, personal wealth/property are anathema. But we're civilized now, and can afford such theft.

My name is Adam Fisher. I live in Northampton, Mass., U.S.A. I have a wife and three children. This is my blog and consists of almost-daily postings -- sometimes (older) about the Zen Buddhism I have admired and practiced for something short of 50 years; sometimes about other 'spiritual' matters; and (more recently) about whatever strikes my fancy. Except to the extent that it might help others to consider what sort of fool they might prefer not to be, this blog does not aim to help anyone. Writing is an old and diminishing habit. It's what I do. Once upon a time, I built a zendo/meditation hall in the backyard here and invited people to come. The zendo is still there and my Dharma name is still "Genkaku" ("original realization" or "original understanding") but these days the formality of meditation has drained. Black Moon Zendo is still a good zendo, but I am 77 in 2017 ... creaky and disinclined. I honor those who make courageous journeys, but am hoist by my own observation that "Just because you are indispensable to the universe does not mean the universe needs your help." Best wishes to all. I can be contacted at genkakukigen@aol.com